San Antonio Spurs win double overtime

San Antonio opened the Western Conference finals by taking a double-overtime road win over Oklahoma City, then watched the Thunder answer one game later to level the series. The split gave the matchup an early swing in tone: a Game 1 thriller built around Victor Wembanyama’s breakout line, followed by a Game 2 response from the defending champions. By late May 21, the series stood 1-1, according to NBA.com, CBS Sports and other playoff trackers. The first result was the attention-grabber. NBA.com said San Antonio beat Oklahoma City in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals in a double-overtime game on May 19, and NBC Sports said the broadcast became the most-watched Western Conference finals Game 1 on record. That game also sharpened the focus on how quickly San Antonio’s rebuild has moved from prospect talk to late-May basketball. ### How big was the Game 1 upset in Oklahoma City? Game 1 ended with San Antonio winning 122-115 in Oklahoma City after two overtimes, according to NBA.com and Sporting News. The Spurs took the opener on the Thunder’s home floor against the defending champions, immediately flipping home-court advantage in the series. Victor Wembanyama drove that result with 41 points and 24 rebounds, according to NBA.com and Sporting News. NBA.com described it as a “career-defining performance,” while NBC Sports said the game peaked at 12 million viewers in the second overtime and averaged 9.2 million viewers. ### Why did that opener get so much attention? NBC Sports said the May 19 game was the most-watched Western Conference finals Game 1 ever. The network said viewership rose 71% from the comparable game a year earlier. The audience number tracked with the game itself. NBA.com said Wembanyama hit a late 3-pointer in the double-overtime win, and its playoff coverage framed the opener as an “instant classic.” For San Antonio, the result added a national audience to a series that already featured Wembanyama against Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and a Spurs roster built around players in their early 20s. ### What changed in Game 2? Oklahoma City won Game 2 by a 122-113 score to even the series, according to The Athletic and CBS Sports. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 30 points, and Isaiah Hartenstein added 10 points and 13 rebounds while helping defend Wembanyama, according to The Athletic’s live game coverage. USA Today said Oklahoma City’s pressure defense and San Antonio’s turnovers were central to the Thunder response. NBA.com’s playoff page listed the series at 1-1 after Game 2 and noted that guard Jalen Williams exited the game with a hamstring issue. ### Why are these Spurs being talked about as unusual for this stage? HoopsHype said the 2026 Spurs are the second-youngest NBA conference finals team of the 21st century. Yahoo Sports, citing HoopsHype, said San Antonio’s starting lineup in the series opener averaged 22 years and 346 days, calling it the youngest starting lineup in conference finals history. That age profile helps explain why the Spurs’ presence this deep in the playoffs has drawn attention beyond the scores. The core rotation has included Wembanyama, Stephon Castle and other young starters, with San Antonio reaching the conference finals ahead of a schedule many outside projections had assumed. ### What happens next in the series? Game 3 moves to San Antonio with the Western Conference finals tied 1-1, according to NBA.com’s playoff bracket. ESPN’s playoff schedule said the NBA Finals are set to begin June 3 on ABC, with the Spurs and Thunder still two wins from reaching that stage. The next steps are straightforward. Oklahoma City will try to reclaim control after splitting its first two home games, and San Antonio will try to turn the series again on its own floor.